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| the following is a chronology of some of the highlights
of New Brunswick’s physical, economic, social and
cultural revitalization over the past three decades:
1975
The American City Corporation report in January
finds strong potential for revitalization in New
Brunswick and recommends a partnership of the
private and public sectors.
New Brunswick Tomorrow is officially organized
July 1 with a Board of Directors representing all
segments of the community. John J. Heldrich is
elected Chairman.
1976
The New Brunswick Development
Corporation (DevCo) is created in January
as a private, non-profit organization to
serve as NBT’s implementation partner for
economic development. Richard B. Sellars
is elected chairman. A conceptual blueprint
by renowned architect and planner, I.M. Pei,
for downtown revitalization is announced in
May. A series of eight community meetings is
held to get input on Pei’s plans.
Results are announced in August of the first
citywide poll of New Brunswick residents by
the Eagleton Institute of Rutgers University
commissioned by NBT. The survey reveals a
generally supportive and optimistic view of
revitalization by residents.
1977
After decades of delay, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers gives final approval for the
Route 18 extension and bridge and the
State Transportation Department accepts
construction bids. The project is the key to
relieving downtown New Brunswick of strangling
traffic congestion and opening the way for
development.
DevCo begins construction of the $6.5 million
Plaza II office building designed by Pei on a
George Street urban renewal site that had been
vacant for over a decade.
The closing of the Family Health Center at
Middlesex General Hospital because of a
financial crisis is averted through the action of a
NBT ad hoc committee headed by
Chairman Heldrich.
1978
Johnson & Johnson announces in April that it
will remain in New Brunswick and will construct
a new corporate worldwide headquarters in
the heart of the downtown area. Governor
Brendan Byrne hails the decision as “one of the
most significant corporate investments in the
revitalization of a city in New Jersey history.”
1979
Johnson & Johnson announces in April that it Johnson & Johnson breaks ground in February
for its new worldwide headquarters.
Arts Development Associates, a Minneapolis based
consulting firm, recommends
development of a major downtown cultural
center, with a new George Street Playhouse and
renovation of the State Theatre as the top initial
priorities.
The new Plaza II office building on George
Street is opened. This is the first new
commercial development in over a decade in
downtown New Brunswick.
1980
NBT announces that it will focus on social and
human services issues in the new decade of
the 1980s to translate the economic benefits of
revitalization into an improved quality of life for
city residents.
New Brunswick celebrates the 300th anniversary
of its founding with a River Festival and
Tercentennial Day parade in September.
The new $12 million Route 18 bridge across the
Raritan River is opened in October and dedicated
to the late State Senator John A. Lynch.
1981
Ground is broken in May for the $5 million Paul
Robeson Community School made possible
by additional tax revenues generated by
revitalization.
The City of New Brunswick begins improvements
to the George Street retail district, with
separation of sanitary and storm sewer systems
as the initial phase.
Construction begins on the $12 million Ferren
Parking Deck and Mall by the New Brunswick
Parking Authority across from the railroad
station.
1982
NBT Education Task Force announces a leadership
development program for New Brunswick school
administrators, funded by a $30,000 grant from Johnson & Johnson. NBT also creates a Human
Services Task Force.
The new Hyatt Regency Hotel is dedicated in
September at ceremonies attended by Governor
Thomas Kean.
NBT launches an innovative Education Investment
Contract program to provide jobs and training for
non-college bound high school seniors.
The New Brunswick Cultural Center Corporation is
organized in December, with Richard B. Sellars
as Chair.
1983
NBT Board approves a $30,000 grant to help
initiate a Family Day Care Network.
The Cultural Center Corporation announces
plans to renovate and recycle four buildings
on lower Livingston Avenue, including the
State Theatre.
A major news conference announces the
second phase of downtown public / private
redevelopment, featuring projects for the
Golden Triangle, lower and upper Church Streets
and Hiram Market area.
New Johnson & Johnson worldwide headquarters
opens in April.
Ferren Mall opens to its first retail tenants,
including a new Rutgers Book Store relocated
from its campus site.
United Auto Workers Union opens new 214-unit
building to house senior citizens.
1984
Eagleton Poll shows that, for the first time,
a majority of city residents now believe New
Brunswick is an excellent or good place to
live. The increase in positive attitudes spurred
by revitalization is found throughout all
demographic groups.
In a major sign of increasing confidence by
private investors in New Brunswick, the DKM
Realty Corporation purchases the Plaza I and II
complex from DevCo for $12.3 million.
NBT forms new task forces on Employment and
Training and Health services.
1985
The George Street Playhouse presents its first
production in its new home in the former YMCA
building on Livingston Avenue, “A Streetcar
Named Desire.”
Mayor John A. Lynch announces an innovative
New Brunswick Youth Services System to
expand recreational, cultural and counseling
services to young people. NBT contributes a
grant of $25,000 to help start the system.
The Parents’ Advisory Committee of NBT’s
Education Task Force produces a “Know Your
Schools” brochure which is distributed to
14,000 homes.
State of New Jersey provides $50,000 to expand
NBT’s pilot Family Day Care program throughout
Middlesex County.
New Brunswick’s long-neglected railroad station
begins undergoing a $2 million renovation by
the State Department of Transportation.
1986
More than 700 attended a June community
salute at the Hyatt Regency honoring Richard B.
Sellars as the “guiding spirit of revitalization.”
St. Peter’s Medical Center announces a five-year,
$38 million plan to construct new medicalsurgical
units, an ambulatory care center and
new parking deck.
Construction begins on the $11.5 million Albany
Street Plaza commercial-retail project.
NBT’s Health Task Force publishes a
comprehensive New Brunswick Health Care
Services Directory for the community.
Renovation work begins on the historic
State Theater.
1987
The Eric B. Chandler Community Health Center,
operated by UMDNJ, opens in pre-fab modular
facilities adjacent to the Redshaw School.
NBT facilitates creation of the New Brunswick
Child Care Consortium.
U.S. Conference of Mayors selects New
Brunswick for an Outstanding Achievement
Award in the City Livability Awards Program.
Ground is broken for the $34 million Golden
Triangle Plaza office building.
1988
Governor Thomas Kean announces that New
Brunswick is one of the cities selected to
develop a School Based Youth Services program
at New Brunswick High School.
NBT creates an Incentive Scholars Program to
encourage high-achieving graduates of the city’s
elementary schools to attend New Brunswick
High School.
The State Theater opens in April after $3 million
in renovations with a sold-out performance by
the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
Albany Street Plaza opens.
The City Council creates a downtown Special
Improvement District and establishes City
Market, Inc., to administer it.
1989
NBT adopts a new mission statement organizing
its human services activities in a holistic model
around the human life cycle -- Infant/Child,
Youth/Teen, Adult/Family, and Seniors, plus
continuing its Education and Health Task Forces.
Chairman Heldrich says this will enable NBT
to expand “into a new and broader mission of
addressing the lifetime needs of the people and
families of the community.”
Golden Triangle Plaza opens.
The New Brunswick Parking Authority opens its
new $3.5 million lower Church Street Parking
Deck, adding 420 downtown spaces.
The new $4.1 million Hungarian Heritage Center
is dedicated.
1990
NBT begins the New Brunswick Community
Teacher Excellence Awards with a $20,000 grant
from the James E. Burke Family Foundation.
Mr. Burke is the former Chairman of Johnson &
Johnson.
The City announces a major plan to improve the
riverfront area of Boyd Park and make it more
accessible to the public. This project is to be
funded primarily by State Green Acres money.
Construction begins on the New Brunswick
Cultural Center’s new $3 million home for the
Crossroads Theatre after impressive ground
breaking ceremonies.
1991
The NBT-facilitated Parent Infant Care Center
(PIC-C) begins providing services to young
parents at the Greater New Brunswick Day
Care Council.
Through NBT, the State Department of Human
Services provides a $290,000 grant to expand
the School Based Youth Services program from
the high school to the City’s elementary schools.
The City dedicates a $1.1 million addition to the
Senior Resource Center.
The new 264-seat Crossroads Theatre opens in
late October, with comedian Bill Cosby featured
in a special show during a week of festivities.
1992
NBT begins the most comprehensive study ever
in the city of the needs of seniors, with grants
from NBT and The Fund for New Jersey and
in cooperation with the Rutgers Institute for
Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research.
Ground is broken for University Center at Easton
Avenue, a $50 million mixed use project to
provide housing for Rutgers students, parking
and retail space. It is a joint project of Rutgers,
the City of New Brunswick and Robert Wood
Johnson University Hospital.
Construction begins on the first phase of the
Hiram Square Riverwatch condominium project.
City Market sponsors the largest book fair in the
state, in downtown New Brunswick, attracting
15,000 people.
1993
The Agenda 2000 report commissioned by
NBT is issued by Leo Molinaro & Associates,
recommending priorities and directions for
revitalization for the balance of the 1990s and
into the 21st Century.
The Renaissance 2000 initiative to revitalize
the Route 27 corridor area is announced at an
August news conference. The partners are the
First Baptist Community Development Corporation, the City of New
Brunswick and NBT. The partnership engages the Molinaro firm to
begin planning.
The new PIC-C opens at New Brunswick High School.
The study of seniors’ needs, begun in 1992, is completed and issued.
Plans are unveiled for a $42 million Civic Square Project featuring two
new facilities for Rutgers -- the Edward J. Bloustein School of Public
Policy and the Mason Gross School for the Visual Arts.
1994
The 10th biennial Eagleton Poll reports
dramatically improved positive perceptions in
the opinions of residents about New Brunswick.
A-STEP, the Alliance for Successful Teen
Employment Program, is launched as a public/
private employment and training partnership
among NBT, the City and the New Brunswick
Center of Middlesex County College.
Major openings include the University Center at Easton Avenue, the
Puerto Rican Action Board Mario Gonzalez Child Care and Education
Center and the Salvation Army Community Center.
The $10.7 million Providence Square senior citizens residential facility
opens in the renovated cigar factory on Somerset Street with 98 units.
DevCo reorganizes under the chairmanship of George R. Zoffinger,
Chairman of CoreStates-NJ National Bank and former State
Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development.
The Molinaro consulting firm presents its initial conceptual plan for
Renaissance 2000 at a community meeting attended by over
400 persons.
1995
New Brunswick Tomorrow was awarded a
$1 million state grant for five years to develop
the school-to-careers opportunity system.
New Brunswick Public Schools System Planning
Study commissioned by the NBT Education Task
Force is completed by Eagleton Institute as a
guide toward systematic reforms and academic
excellence.
Renaissance 2000 program to revitilize Route 27 corridor presented
by Molinaro Associates to First Baptist Community Development
Corporation and the City.
New Eric B. Chandler Health Center opens on George Street.
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School dedicates the $44
million Clinical Academic Building.
New $42 million home on Livingston Avenue opens for The Edward
J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and Mason Gross
School of The Arts at Rutgers, The State University.
New Brunswick Cultural Center receives Governor’s Award on Tourism
for Community Development.
Cancer Institute breaks ground for $26.3 million facility.
Mr. Chris Kjeldsen, Vice President of Community & Workplace
Programs, Johnson & Johnson, succeeds Mr. John J. Heldrich, Founding
Chairman of New Brunswick Tomorrow.
1996
Eagleton poll finds some of the most positive
high points since 1976 in perceptions of New
Brunswick residents including 72 per cent
awareness and 81 per cent approval of NBT
Ground broken by Applied Companies for 117-unit
luxury rental apartment complex in downtown
New Brunswick.
Livingston Manor opens as new residential resource for seniors.
Evaluation and Assessment Task Force chaired by C. Roy Epps is
established to evaluate NBT-funded programs.
New Brunswick’s pre-eminence as Health Care City reaffirmed as St.
Peter’s Medical Center, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
maintained rankings among the nation’s top hospitals. They receive
Accreditation with Commendation from the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
1997
Info Line of Middlesex County completes four
month pilot project prior to opening for service.
Comprehensive Community Health Needs
Assessment completed by Eagleton Institute.
Riverwatch Commons with 117 apartments
fully rented.
New Brunswick Child Care Consortium organizes
“Stand for Children” parade and rally which
attracts 300 participants.
1998
Eagleton Poll fi nds 57 per cent of residents rate
New Brunswick as excellent or good place to
live, with the 20 percent negative response the
lowest in 20 years.
United States Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Andrew Cuomo awards 7.5 million
HOPE VI grant to New Brunswick to replace
high-rise New Brunswick Homes, provide new
and more family-friendly housing, and assist
low-income residents to gain self-sufficiency.
Consortium led by NBT wins state planning
grant of $30,000 to develop a two-year
demonstration project to move welfare
recipients to gain self-sufficiency.
Governor Whitman, State Labor Commissioner
Mel Gelade and Education Commissioner Leo
Klagholz visit and praise New Brunswick’s
Alliance for Successful Teen Employment
Program (A-STEP).
Ground broken for $25 million Civic Square III
program to be developed by partnership of
DevCo and Keating Development Corporation.
New $6 million Boyd Park dedicated at Raritan
River Festival.
New Brunswick Hub Teen Center on Morris
Street reopened by the City to replace center
destroyed by fire.
1999
State grant of $2 million for Project
ACCESS (AChieving Complete Economic Self
Sufficiency), a two-year welfare to work
demonstration project, is announced by Human
Services Commissioner Michele Guhl on a visit
to New Brunswick.
Plans to construct Heldrich Plaza, a $100
million, 550,000-square foot downtown
development, announced by DevCo and the Advance Group private
developers. Will include conference center, hotel, luxury apartments
and retail space.
Matrix Development Group announced plans for nearby downtown
$100 million privately financed office and luxury apartments.
The Millennium Schools Project launched to provide planning
documents to meet State Supreme Court mandates on urban
schools reform. It is a collaboration among NBT, New Brunswick
Public Schools, Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers, The Graduate School
of Education.
Civic Square II completed with New Middlesex County Administrative
Building and Public Safety Complex.
NBT awards grant to Aspira, Inc. of New Jersey to implement its
nationally renowned leadership program in New Brunswick.
Plans announced for DevCo to construct new Lord Stirling School in
agreement with Board of Education. It will be a model statewide for
school construction to be part of community development.
Puerto Rican Action Board opens a $2.1 million daycare center on
Drift Street.
Liberty Plaza opens as new home for The University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey administrative staff relocated from Newark
and Piscataway.
Richmond Court completed by Applied Companies with 82 new
apartments and 15 townhouses as final phase of Riverwatch.
2000
New Brunswick Tomorrow celebrated its 25th
birthday with a reception in October at Johnson
& Johnson’s world headquarters attended by 300 people.
Highlights were recognition of NBT founding members, a
presentation to Johnson & Johnson for its contributions and the first
showing of a video, “Twenty-five Years of
Partnership and Progress.”
Jeffrey M. Vega was named NBT President,
succeeding Stephen O’Connor who resigned.
Mr. Vega joined NBT in 1993 and had been
Vice President.
The National Football Foundation/College
Football Hall of Fame designated New Brunswick
High School as one of the only 28 sites
nationally for its “Play It Smart” program.
With a grant from Johnson & Johnson the
Community Interpreters Program was initiated
to assist people seeking health care who speak
only Spanish.
2001
Preparations began for the Healthier New
Brunswick 2010 program with community –
based roots. The first phase was a health needs
assessment based on key informant interviews
and focus groups. The “Get Fit! Coalition” was
established to promote healthy lifestyles of
nutrition, education and physical activity.
The Parent/Infant Care Center (PIC-C) at
New Brunswick High School celebrated its first
decade of service.
New Brunswick Senior Care (Community
Advocacy and Resource Exchange) started
to reach out to the city’s elderly population,
particularly those most isolated and vulnerable.
2002
Healthier New Brunswick 2010 was officially
announced on October 1 to a meeting of
100 community leaders. Johnson & Johnson
provided funding in collaboration with
principal partners, New Brunswick Tomorrow,
the City, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
and Rutgers University. Dr. Denise Rodgers
was named project director and a Community
Health Advisory Group (CHAG) was created.
The New Brunswick Faith-Based Collaboration was organized with Rev.
Vicente Martinez as chairman.
Programs for before and after school care for Kindergarten and
elementary pupils were initiated to provide safe havens for children
whose parents work early and non-traditional hours.
The Eagleton Poll reported that opinions of New Brunswick residents
of the city as a place to live were at their highest levels since the
surveys began.
C. Roy Epps, President of the Civic League of Greater New Brunswick,
was the recipient of NBT’s Lifetime Community Service Award.
2003
Chris Kjeldsen, who had been chairman of the
New Brunswick Tomorrow Board of Directors
since 1995, died in October. He was extolled
by the Home News Tribune editorially as “one
man who truly made a difference.” Dr. Nancy
Winterbauer was named acting chairman.
The Johnson & Johnson Bridge to Employment Program in New
Brunswick was kicked off in October with a $42,500 grant from the
company to prepare students for careers in the health sciences.
A new community coalition was established with eight banks to
address financial issues affecting the city’s immigrant community.
Herbert K. Feist, a community, civic and philanthropic leader for five
decades, received NBT’s Lifetime Community Service Award.
2004
The 15th biennial poll of New Brunswick
residents by Rutgers University’s Eagleton
Institute found that a clear majority of
56 percent rate the city favorably as a
place to live and 62 percent believe it will
be even better in five years. Rosie Saez
was elected NBT Board chair to succeed
the late Chris Kjeldsen. Elected as vice
chairs were Christopher M. Cimarusti and Dr. Denise V. Rodgers.
The New Brunswick Tomorrow Lifetime Community Service Award
was presented to Malcolm Busch, who has served as legal advisor
without compensation to NBT during its entire history. A truancy
and delinquency intervention program was initiated, with Middlesex
County Family Court as an active participant. The Rutgers Center
for State Health Policy presented findings of the first phase of its
Community Health Assessment.
2005
New Brunswick Tomorrow celebrated
its 30th anniversary at its holiday party
in December and announced the John
J. Heldrich Institute for Leadership
Development to honor its founding
chairman. NBT’s Public/Private Partnership
Award was presented to the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation. Christopher Cimarusti
was elected NBT Board Chair to succeed
Rosie Saez, who resigned because of her business pressures but
remained a board member. Rev. Vicente Martinez was elected Vice
Chair. Two students in Johnson & Johnson’s Bridge to Employment
Program received honorable mention awards in a nationwide
competition on health literacy. Nineteen high-risk students in NBT’s
truancy and delinquency intervention program were promoted to the
next grade in school. Anthony Marano, an NBT founding member, died
in February. Dr. Denise Rodgers resigned as NBT Vice Chair to accept a
position as University Chief of Staff for UMDNJ.
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